Free Consultation
Inheritance & Probate

Can I deposit my will with an Israeli court for safekeeping?

Yes. Section 21 of the Succession Law 5725-1965 lets a testator deposit their signed will with the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs for safekeeping, in person, for a modest fee. A deposited will creates a legal presumption that it was not revoked, which strengthens it against a later challenge. Only the testator can retrieve it during their lifetime, and depositing is optional rather than a condition of the will's validity.

The deposit is a formal, voluntary step. The testator attends a Registrar of Inheritance Affairs office in person, hands over the sealed will, and receives a deposit certificate. The will is then recorded in a central registry, so it can be located reliably after death when an heir applies for probate. The legal advantage runs beyond mere storage. Section 21 attaches a presumption that a deposited will was not revoked, which shifts the practical burden onto anyone who later argues that the testator tore it up or replaced it. The Registrar checks the registry whenever a probate or succession application is filed, so a deposited will is very unlikely to be overlooked.

For a foreign national with assets in Israel, deposit solves a real logistical problem: an original will kept in a drawer abroad can be lost, damaged, or quietly suppressed by an interested relative. Depositing the Israeli-facing will in Israel keeps the document where the probate process actually happens. The testator remains fully in control and can withdraw the will at any time, for example to update it. A practical mistake is to sign a carefully drafted Israeli will and then leave the only copy in another country, where heirs may never find it or may struggle to prove it is genuine.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Section 21, Succession Law 5725-1965
  • Competent authority: Registrar of Inheritance Affairs (Rasham LeInyanei Yerusha), Ministry of Justice
  • Fee: approximately NIS 110 to deposit a will (2026)
  • Legal effect: creates a presumption the will was not revoked; recorded in the central will registry
  • Retrieval: only the testator may withdraw a deposited will during their lifetime
  • Not mandatory: a will that was never deposited is still fully valid if properly signed

From the full guide: Israeli Will Requirements: What Makes a Will Valid Under Israeli Law

Related Questions

Related Guides

Need legal help with this topic?
Get a Free Consultation with Adv. Eli ShimonyPrepared under the direction of Adv. Eli Shimony, Eli Shimony Law Office · Editorial policy

← Browse all Q&A